CO rant

Anybody else just getting really burned out on all the changes in Colorado. I used to be able to drive around and explore and not have to worry about getting run off the road by sxs. You could escape and not be busier in the back country then front country. used to be fun to meet like minded people in the woods and now you never know what your gonna get and have to act like your in a city. Used to be able to find a place to camp and relax and not have people literally drive through your camp or it being so busy you cant even find a place. Sick of those secret spots not being secret anymore. anybody else just getting fed up

 

Yep. All of that sucks. I don't see any positive changes as our population increases...

 

Sure. People will continue to get outside.

There are two solutions, although the first is only temporary:
1) Move to Idaho/Montana/* Dakota.
2) Contribute to the education of Stay The Trail and such so that, with time, people will be more respectful in general, "behave", and not leave their mess around for those of us to pick up after others.

 

Native? Not a slam, just wondering how far back you remember...

 

I usually stay close to home now and try off times to explore. I need to do more with LNT and stay the trail in an official way but i try on a personal level to always be a good steward. I will be honest thought i used to approach people a lot more and now not so much as you never know who your gonna get or what attitude. Look at the fight up by radical recently

 

born in Longmont in 83 but to be truthful moved to Phoenix young and then back in college in 2002 but i still remember being in the back seat of the truck with dad exploring CO from a young age. Telluride area in my opinion has had the biggest change

 

Not lucky enough to live in that area but from the time I spent there I definitely picked up on that. I think it'll only get "worse" with overlanding becoming more and more of a thing with this industry (RTT's, capable trucks, off road accessories) getting bigger.

 

i blame social media and people sharing everything. i also am trying to avoid the poplar area and get even more off the beaten path than before. drive the no name passes instead of the popular ones

 

Tulluride has been mentioned in a few country songs so the fact a place is getting brought up in "pop culture" will only add to its increase foot/auto traffic.

 

Yeah, 2002 was pretty close to when it really started. It is definitely getting more crowded. I haven’t been to the high country in 10 years, and that was to Durango. Now I don’t go further west than 470 just because I hate traffic. Wish there was a solution, but I’ve always just thought of it as the price of being wherever everyone wants to be. I was born in Denver myself in 76, so I remember when you could drive across town in 15 minutes....

 

100mm more poeple in the us than 30 years ago. More poeple every where. It sucks. Ps. Will be in co next week for vaca. Looking forward to pissing the locals off. Hhaa. Just kidding. Maybe

 

Yep. Had the idea of retiring to Clear Creek County, but the traffic and crowding in the recreation areas turned me off to it.

I'm ready to look somewhere far away from a heavily populated or recreated area, potentially outside the state. When magazine size limits appeared, I knew it was no longer the place for me.

 

i got some family from Arvada. love the old stories of where the party spots used to be and hearing them tell me how much this place has grown

 

i feel like it has been the last 10 years or so its been getting crazy

 

Covid is changing peoples habits. Getting away from the crowd is bring the crowds to the wilderness. Travel trailer sales are way up and it is getting hard to find campsites. Even hiking trails are crowded. Hotel rooms in traditional vacation spots are empty as are cruise liners.

 

I tend not to post or share where I camp or wheel, other than to other friends or like minded people. I was camping a few weeks ago and the group next to us maybe 150 yards away was playing music, drinking, and yelling (literally yelling about nothing), until around 2 AM...Makes me hate people. We're in the backwoods, we all had to wheel to get here away from people...if you wanted to party why not stay home?

 

Save the butterflies!

 

Covid def has an effect, but I will say that here in Utah, even just from 4 years ago, the population growth is noticeable. Then again, SLC is basically "Denver-7 years".

 

I still can’t believe that shit happened up in Montezuma! F’n SxS’s! Now I’m all about - to each their own, but all the city dwellers that rent these things because they don’t want to take their city vehicles off road are giving the community a real bad name. I’ve seen these guys pull the most stupid shit out on the trails, now I’m not saying stupid people don’t drive Tacos and Jeeps and such but the BS I’ve seen in the backcountry done by SxS’s in the past one or two years has equaled the combined BS I’ve seen in 30 years by other 4 wheelers. Drives me crazy

and yes, stop with the social media shit (which ironically this site is) Secrets are not secrets if everyone knows about it

 

COVID definitely has an effect. I've noticed a huge difference in my campsite finding ability between last year and this year. Though...when the weather gets even a little bad most of the "Covid adventurers" tend to stay away even at the most popular places.